1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of exercise and training equipment, and more particularly to a collapsible, portable apparatus which is adapted to assemble in different configurations to support a variety of accessory component attachments so that a user can workout and train in a vast array of sports and activities, and wherein the apparatus is adapted to collapse and attach to a dolly, to thereby define a portable cart for transporting the apparatus and accessory components between training locations.
2. Description of the Related Art
The art is crowded with exercise equipment for all types of sports and activities. To a large extent, the exercise equipment in the related art is directed to weight lifting or body building, wherein various devices are provided to exercise and build different muscles of the body. In general, exercise equipment falls into two categories, namely, fixed, permanently installed equipment and collapsible equipment. Examples of permanently installed, industrial-type equipment can be found in most health and fitness clubs, as well as in the home gym industry. For example, fitness clubs usually provide a collection of different machines, arranged in one or more large rooms, wherein each machine is dedicated to exercising a particular muscle group. A home gym, on the other hand, usually combines a number of devices into one apparatus wherein several work stations are provided about a fixed frame structure, wherein each sports station usually includes equipment for exercising one or more muscles of the body, including the arms, torso, and legs.
While fitness clubs provide a wide variety of machines for anaerobic as well as aerobic workouts, this type of equipment tends to be extremely heavy and immobile. Further, many people, particularly, younger individuals, do not stay in the same area for an extended period of time. Additionally, a fair percentage of today""s work force travel quite frequently, thereby making it difficult to maintain a routine of exercise at a fitness club. In many instances, people who join fitness clubs find that they do not use them after a few months, as it becomes too inconvenient to fit regular visits to the fitness club into one""s busy schedule. In other instances, people move to another town and have to forfeit their membership in a fitness club before it expires.
Other health conscious individuals find the means for staying in shape with the use of a home gym apparatus. As with fitness clubs, there is a large number of home gym machines available on the market. These exercise units provide similar ranges of exercises to those found in fitness clubs. However, much like the equipment in fitness clubs, a home gym tends to be very bulky, heavy and generally immobile. This type of equipment can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,309 to Wilson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,627 to MacLean; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,715 to Pauls. A further limitation of a home gym is the difficulty in transporting the apparatus to another location should the owner of the equipment need to change residences. And because the average single person or family finds it necessary to move to a new residence at least once every ten years, for work or personal reasons, the need to transport this bulky equipment can be expected. Unfortunately, the cost to disassemble, move, and then reassemble a home gym at a new location can often cost as much or more than the original purchase of the equipment. Furthermore, most individuals do not have sufficient space in their home to accommodate a home gym apparatus.
Portable, collapsible exercise equipment is becoming increasingly popular due to the busy lifestyles of today""s health conscious society. Examples of this type of equipment are seen on extended length television commercial advertisements and include stair-stepper machines, rowing machines, sit-up devices, and body building devices. For the most part, this equipment is designed to collapse to a more compact configuration so that it can be stored under a bed or in a closet, thus appealing to those with limited space in their homes. And, while portable, collapsible equipment is available for a wide range of activities, and not limited to body building, each item of equipment tends to be limited to the specific activity to which it was designed for. U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,841 to Daskoski, is an example of a portable training apparatus for training baseball pitchers. Specifically, Daskoski discloses a pitcher""s training aid which includes an upright rectangular frame structure made of a horizontal base structure, a vertical target support structure, and at least one vertical brace member. Two horizontal support members are slidably mounted on the opposing vertical sides of the target support structure, thereby defining the boundaries Of a strike zone through which a ball may pass. The vertical height of the strike zone is adjusted by manipulating the positions of the two horizontal support members along the sides of the target support structure. However, the Daskoski device is strictly limited to pitching training and is not adapted for accommodating a variety of accessories and attachments for training in many different sports and activities.
A further problem associated with both permanently installed more industrial-type exercise equipment and portable exercise equipment is the limited range of exercises and activities which can be performed on the equipment. As mentioned above, most exercise equipment is geared towards exercising and building muscles on one or more areas of the body. A smaller percentage of exercise and training equipment is geared to training in specific sports, such as baseball, football, or golf. The various apparatus known for these particular uses is generally limited to one sport or activity. Thus, a person desiring to train in a variety of sports, including weight lifting and body building, must purchase separate equipment for each activity. For most people, this is impractical due to the cost and limited availability of space to accommodate several items of equipment.
It can, therefore, be appreciated that there remains an urgent need for a collapsible, portable multi-purpose training apparatus which is adapted to accommodate a variety of accessory components to enable training in many different sports and activities.
In view of the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose collapsible and portable training apparatus which is of efficient, sturdy construction and which offers a wide variety of accessory components for training in many different sports and activities, and further wherein the apparatus is designed for quick and easy assembly and disassembly for transport between training locations.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose collapsible training apparatus which can be manufactured in a variety of materials and sizes.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose training apparatus which can be manufactured in a durable plastic or like material in a size suitable for use by children.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose collapsible and portable training apparatus which is manufactured in a strong, corrosion-resistant steel, aluminum or other metal alloy for use by persons of all ages.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose collapsible training apparatus in a size suitable for use as a toy, wherein the apparatus can be used in conjunction with children""s toy action characters.
Further objects and advantages of the invention are more readily apparent with reference to the detailed description and accompanying drawings.